Well, after completing another 3000 miles in the Kayak I have some awards to announce.  These awards represent my tribute to gear that really just works.  It does what it does, never stops working, and is worth what ever investment you make in it.  Lots of gear is great, but this gear has really done amazing for me.

• Kokatat Dry Suit - I have worn my dry suit more days than I care to recount and it has been an amazing product.  What makes it even better is the company behind it, Kokatat, which works tirelessly to make sure their paddlers are in the best gear possible.  My dry suit has been with me for over 4300 paddling miles.
• Nigel Dennis Kayaks - Simply put the best expedition kayak on the market, bar none.  It is an amazing boat that will get you and your gear where you want to go.  I would paddle nothing else, it is really that simple.  The NDK Explorer is just a bomber boat, period.
• Superior Kayaks CF  Greenland Paddle - This paddle has been by my side the entire time I have been on the Odyssey.  Simply an awesome paddle that also does two other things extremely well. First, if you need to paddle in 'Stealth' mode, this is the paddle for you.  Secondly it does an extremely good job as a tarp pole!
• Watershed Ocee- The Watershed bags are simply bomber.  My bag has been with me the entire duration of the Odyssey and it has protected my valuable camera and lenses perfectly.  The bag is tough and durable, but more than anything it is the only 'true' waterproof bag I have ever seen. 
• Spot Messenger - To me this is how all electronics made for the out door environment should be made.  It is another one of those pieces of gear that just works, does what it is supposed to do, and just keeps working.  My Messenger has been with me the entire time.
• MSR Dromedary - These bags just work.  They hold your water and don't infuse any strange taste like some other bags do.  The exterior is tough, allowing you to do just about whatever you want with them.  They will even double as an air filled pillow.
• Sea to Summit spoon - My trusty spoon is probably my most prized item, allowing me to get every last ounce out of both peanut butter jars and nutella jars. 
• Timex Expedition Watch - Before heading off to AK last year my brother bought me one of Timex Expedition watches.  This watch has been either strapped to my boat or my PFD for every single mile I have paddled.  Its primary role has been to help me navigate using the chronograph feature for dead recokoning.  Once again this is a stellar example of how outdoor gear should be built.  It does exactly what it is supposed to do and it does it all the time.
• Rite in the Rain - I have been using their waterproof journals since the first day of my journey to chronicle my adventures.  Once again, simply a stellar product that does exactly what it advertises.  If you need to keep notes in a wet environmnet, then their products are what you want to us.

Regular readers know that I am really thrashing my beloved NDK on this Atlantic Odyssey.  The poor boat is just taking a beating with every beach landing and launch, not too mention the current rocky New England coast.  Given the damage I am doing, I continue to search for additions to my repair kit that will make field repairs, especially emergency ones, easier to accomplish.

When I was down in North Carolina (Ed, self proclaimed nicest Republican I would ever meet), turned me on to this epoxy in a tube.  I quickly added a tube to my kit and went on my way.  Last week, after suffering a complete 5" tear through the hull, I was obviously taking on a great deal of water.  Out of my space age Rec'Repair patches, I was forced to try the putty.

The putty comes in a sealed tube, that you simply take out, twist off as much as you need, and then begin to need.  The putty has two layers, the epoxy and the filler, and you simply work it together like play-do until it is a uniform color.  When this happens you then have a few minutes to work with  it before it Kicks, and becomes un-useable.   I first applied a section to the inside of the cockpit, working it over and into the crack.  Using a little water on your hands you can actually smooth it out as if you were working with clay.  After doing the inside, I flipped the boat and did the outside of the crack as well as a few other spots on the keel.

Paddling the next day resulted in a significant reduction in water leakage.  In fact, it may have completely stopped it as I found tears in my spray skirt yesterday which may have been an additional source of water.  Either way, the putty made for a simple and strong patch that made the boat sea worthy until repairs could be made.  Yesterday, as I was removing the putty from the boat, I was really impressed with the hardness and the durability of the patch.  Interestingly, the patches on the outside/bottom of the boat required sanding to remove, they were that hard and that firmly attached.  The internal patch, while still attached, came off with a putty knife.  The only thing I can think of is that the external patches, when applied, were baked in the sun, possibly making them more durable?

There are several manufactures of this putty, and one of the great features is that the will cure under water.  This makes for a fantastic emergency patch material that can be used in almost any situation.  The Rec'Repair patches are certainly way more durable, but you can not beat the convenience of the putty.  The tube is small, and nothing is needed to attach it to your boat.  Something that anyone doing kayak trekking should consider adding to your repair kit.

For long  distance tripping  my repair kit now includes:

• Marine Epoxy Putty
• West Systems repair kit (glass and resin)
• Additional Glass
• 3 4x6 Rec'Repair sheets
• Duct Tape

With these items I am able to perform just about any type of emergency repair out in the field without adding a great deal of weight or taking up too much space in my day hatch.